Rail fastening device



Dec. 5, 1950 A. R. SCHULZE RAIL FASTENING DEVICE Filed June 5, 1947 w fi I 2 Patented Dec. 5, 1950 RAIL FASTENING DEVICE Arthur R. Schulze, Johnstown, Pa., assignor to Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 5, 1947, Serial No. 752,776

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a rail fastening device and more particularly to such a device for fastening a, rail to a tie plate. The railroad tracks are subjected to extreme vibrations, noticeable deflections and a, resulting wave motion due to the rapid change from no load to full load as the train travels over the track. It is desirable that the fastening means remain in position in spite of this vibration, but when simple conventional devices, such as bolts or cap screws are used in fastening the rail to the tie plates, the extreme and rapid vibration of the track structure under traffic causes wear on the small contact surfaces with resultant rapid loosening of the assembled parts. Special devices have been resorted to with considerable success, but ordinarily they are relatively expensive and many of them are so constructed that the strength and bearing area. of the tie plates are reduced.

It is an object of my invention to provide a rail fastening device which is inexpensive and rugged in construction.

Another object is to provide such a device which utilizes a standard tie plate without reducing its strength.

Still another object is to provide such a device which remains in place under extreme vibration of the track.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line IIII of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial plan view of a second embodiment of my invention; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line IVIV of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a standard tie plate which is mounted on a tie in the usual manner and which is provided with the usual rail seating portion 4 for receiving the flange 6 of the rail. An inverted U-shaped member 8 is welded to the base plate 2 on each side of the rail between the seat portion 4 and the edge of the plate. A spring clip Ill passes through an opening I2 in the m mber 8 and is provided with a relatively thick ri id shank portion l4 and a relatively thin flexible portion l6. Intermediate the portions M and I 6 is a lug l8 having a horizontal surface 2!! bearing again t the underside 22 of the member 8 and a lu 24 having a vertical surface 26 bearing again t the inner surface of the member 8. The bottom surface of the portion i6 is scored or serr ted at 28 to minimize rail creep. The thick portion of the clip is arranged at a steeper angle the thin portion and when the clip is driven into place it is slightly compressed downwardly. By virtue of shoulders l8 and 24 the clip I4 is locked in place and remains in position regardless of vibration of the rails. Limited movement of the rail with respect to the base plate 2 is possible because of the flexible section I6.

Figures 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of my invention which is essentially the same as that shown in Figures 1 and 2. However, the inverted U-shaped member 30 differs from U- shaped member 8 by having rounded edges 32 instead of square edges and the spring clip 34 has a surface 36 which is similar to surface 29 and merges with a rounded surface 38 which prevents outward movement. The clip 35 is locked in place in the same manner as clip l0.

While two embodiments of my invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claim.

A rail fastening device comprising a tie plate having a seat portion for the base of the rail, an inverted U-shaped member secured to said tie plate at a point intermediate the seat portion and the edge of the plate, an elongated spring clip passing through said inverted U-shaped member and bearing against the underside thereof, one end of said clip bearing against the top of the rail flange and the other end bearing against the top of the tie plate, and a shoulder on the top part of said clip bearing against the inner part of the inverted U-shaped member to prevent outer movement thereof, the end of the clip between the top of the tie plate and the inverted U-shaped member being relatively thick and rigid and the other end of the clip being relatively thin and flexible, the length of the clip between'its bearing point on the top of the tie plate and its bearing point on said member being less than the length of the clip from the bearing point on said member to the point that it bears on the rail flange.

ARTHUR R. SCI-IULZE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Num er Name Date Re. 22,776 Scholes Aug. 6, 1946 1, 33,859 Lundie Mar. 16, 1920 ,145 Young June 14, 1932 ,1 6 Young June 14, 1932 1,995,020 Woodings Mar. 19, 1935 2,257,077 Scholes Sept. 23, 1941 2, 81 Sann Mar. 28, 1950 

